UEFA Europa League format, key dates, and finals explained, as the next match day inches closer with the teams having a chance to rank up in the standings. Fans await to know which teams qualify in the round of sixteen.
The 16th season of the UEFA Europa League is closing into the next match day, which will take place on 21 January according to the IST. The tournament started off on 11 July 2024 and the finals of the same will be played on 21 May 2025 on Wednesday.
There are a total of 36 teams participating in the UEFA Europa League, but the format of the tournament has changed. Every team will be having eight matches, of which four will be at home and four will be away games. The teams which finish in the top eight will directly qualify for the round of 16. The teams which finished from 9th to 24th will go on to a knockout round and 8 more teams will qualify to the round of 16 through the same. After that, it will be a straight knockout for every team.
The knockout phase playoffs of the tournament will be played on 13 and 20 February respectively. Following this, the Round of 16 will be played on 6th and 13th March respectively. This will be followed by quarter-finals on the 10th and 17th of April, with the semi-finals on the 1st and 8th May. The final clash will be played on 21 May 2025.
The finals of the tournament will be played at Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium, which also serves as the home ground for Athletic Club. Also, the winners of the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League will receive a spot in the League stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League.
